Some quotes from Dai on new programs:
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"When I listen to Sonatina, I felt the message that '(regardless how it may look now), we can believe there is hope/light at the end of it'."
"After picked up the music, people around me encouraged me because, if I pull this off properly and I can visualize the music with my body movements, it may be of some help to Mr Samuragochi the composer, who is unable to hear how it actually sounds even though he did compose it himself, to see the music through me." (Asahi Shimbun, July 11)

"I wanted the classical music; not the one ordinary (=very familiar/traditional) classical piece but which also sounds something contemporary." "I picked up this piece based on my intuition." (Chunichi Shimbun)

Oh the river of tears which will flow amongst die-hard fans when Dai stops skating. Hopefully he will crusade with all new shows once this competitive season is over. Will be endless joy seeing him skate programs with content, driven solely by what the music and his heart command.

Oh the river of tears which will flow amongst die-hard fans when Dai stops skating. Hopefully he will crusade with all new shows once this competitive season is over. Will be endless joy seeing him skate programs with content, driven solely by what the music and his heart command.

I agree, both about the tears and about how happy we'll feel when he can skate free programs for us (and himself) to enjoy.

This season's short program is exquisite; I found the link and was just transfixed. I hope he skates at his best in every competition and is strong and healthy throughout the year.

We met Daisuke Takahashi in during his Hokkaido training camp. He seemed focused, yet sometimes showed a sign of joy in his facial expressions.

“I’ve been training hard without lowering the difficulty” says Takahashi, one of figure skating’s leading figures.

The quality of training here is not the only reason for his joy.

He revealed his FP “The Beatles Medley” for the first time during this training camp. It starts with Yesterday, and ends with The Long and Winding Road, including five songs that are very well-known. It is a very calm and gentle program for the most part.

“I would not have picked these songs if it were up to me. They are such famous songs.” However, when Lori Nichol, whom he is working with for the first time, suggested these songs, he was intrigued. “I love these songs, hearing them every single day. Skating to them, and just simply moving my body to them, makes me happy.”

He came upon something he could really put his heart and soul into in the Olympic season.

His following words suggest how much he loves this year’s music:

“I really want to perform this piece well at competitions. I am not certain how many competitions I will be competing in, but at every competition, I will want to skate clean and perform well.”

During the last season, he did not have his FP completed until August. This Olympic year, however, he found something he loves early in the season.

“I am glad that I got to come across this program in this Olympic year.

Takahashi says in passing: “Nothing is for sure, but this may be my last Hokkaido training camp. I try not to think about it because it makes me a bit sad.”

He says no plan has been made what he would do post-Sochi. Yet, he has made Sochi as a goal and an end. Until Sochi, he will spend this special season with the program he felt fortunate to have found.